This defense is the least physical defense I have ever seen wearing an Arkansas uniform. I don’t recall a good, hard lick all year that made the crowd go Ahhhh. What is the deal? Aren’t you supposed to be tough, mean and pissed off to play on that side of the ball? I see no good licks, no gang tackling and no arriving at the ball with bad intentions.
There is a lack of ability…very little speed…that is evident. But, we aren’t playing hard. We aren’t knocking anybody’s butt off. Don’t some of those guys just think. I have had enough…the next guy who comes near me…I am laying him out or I am going out. You don’t have to be talented to be physical. You just have to be a little mean and nasty.
In my opinion. we do not practice physical. We work on pass routes , trick plays , and RPO runs. Most of the hitting is the old Oklahoma drill with two or more players. I think last week Lunney had the ones go against each other both heavy days which was rare for the season (partly due to depth and fear of injuries)… Second is our speed does not match up with elite speed we see from top SEC teams so our guys end up with wrong angles. Does not explain the lower classification teams that that still beat us with speed. The defensive line does not play their gaps so easy for backs to gash us on misdirection stuff. You would think getting fed this week after week in games that some of it would rub off on the players but it is more like what can we do about it, just is what it is. Everyone says it will start when we get better line play–bigger, faster, smarter and when they practice against the same .
Football is a lot about jimmies and joes and X’s and O’s but it equally about grit , heart, pride —things called want to. We need as much of want to as other factors and this is often the hardest thing to change about a losing culture is the want to or striving to meet the expectations of teams before you. Our record over past five years is so bad that none of the recruits today know us as anything but a 4 win program. The next coach will be seeking recruits that want to be part of his plan and he will have to show them early he knows the job like the basketball coach has done since hitting the ground running. Players come if you win and show them that you can get them to the next level. Simple plan but hard work getting pieces in place.